Modules 29-33 Test

Question 1

Which is an example of a positive externality?

Question 2

Which of the following are possible methods to prevent the tragedy of the commons?

Question 3

Determination of a maximum sustainable yield of plant harvest is most likely to be useful for which classification of land?

Question 4

Which is NOT a consideration that guides the regulation of public land use in the United States?

Question 5

The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934…

Question 6

For several decades, managers of a forest in West Virginia have selectively logged oak trees in a mixed forest that contains primarily oak and hickory. Which of the following is likely to happen over time?

Question 7

A section of a heavily forested area in a rural part of the northeastern United States is clear-cut and the trees are removed. Which of the following would you NOT expect as a result?

Question 8

Which is likely to have the greatest negative environmental impact?

Question 9

Which makes up the largest fraction of the energy subsidy in U.S. agriculture?

Question 10

All of the following are possible strategies for Smart Growth EXCEPT…

Question 11

the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires developers to…

Question 12

On average, 1 kg of corn contains 3,000 kilocalories, and a single hectare can produce 8,000 kg of corn per year. Approximately how many humans eating 2,000 calories per day can a single hectare of corn feed in a year?

Question 13

A single ear of corn contains 80 kilocalories. To produce a single ear of corn requires 40 kilocalories of fuel. What is the energy subsidy of corn production?

Question 14

Due to the economies of scale, it is economically beneficial for…

Question 15

Monocropping generally requires more ___________ than intercropping.

Answer 15

W

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT true regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops?

Question 17

Which factor has NOT contributed to the collapse of ocean fisheries?

Question 18

No-till agriculture and contour plowing are methods that typically result in a decrease in…

Question 19

For produce to be labeled as organic in the United States, the food must have been grown:
I. without the use of any pesticide
II. without the use of synthetic fertilizer
III. on small, sustainable farms

Question 20

Which set of parameters is most likely to determine the ecological footprint of a free-range livestock ranch?

Question 21

FREE RESPONSE QUESTION:
1. Detroit, once a bustling U.S. city, now has many fewer residents. For over 3 decades,the city has experienced the departure of many Caucasian residents, along with socioeconomic turmoil. In 2009, two of the city’s major employers, Chrysler and General Motors, filed for bankruptcy and eliminated a large number of jobs. The population of the city has declined by 60 percent from what it once was. Many residential areas contain abandoned housing and urban businesses have declined.
(a) Describe two principles related to the strategy of smart growth that might be applied to reinvigorate the city of Detroit. (4 points)
(b) Describe the positive feedback loop of urban blight. (2 points)
(c) There has been a recent proposal to convert several residential neighborhoods with numerous abandoned buildings into urban parks. Describe ONE positive externality and ONE negative externality of this proposal.
(d) Detroit is located halfway between Lake Erie and Lake Hudson. Some officials have suggested that allowing increased fishing activities could attract people to the area. What are four parameters that state officials would need to measure in order to determine the maximum sustainable yield of Great Lake fisheries? (2 points)

Question 22

FREE RESPONSE QUESTION:
Bt-corn a genetically modified plant, is now widely used in the United States because it greatly reduces the need to spray insecticides on corn fields. More recently, scientists have begun inserting Bt genes into other plant types, such as rice, canola, and cotton. Consumers are wary of the potential effects these genetically modified organisms may have on human health. However, many environmental scientists are more concerned with the potential effects of the plants on the ecology of land surround the farms. Consider this recent report from a study examining the Bt -crops:
“We observed slower decomposition of leaf litter and stems from Bt-positive transgenic strains of rice, tobacco, canola, cotton, and potato relative to decomposition of litter from Bt-negative strains. The amount of carbon dioxide release by soil bacteria and fungi surrounding Bt-positive litter was also less, indicating less microbial activity and slower growth of microbial populations. These results may be caused by the production of certain enzymes by the foliage of Bt-positive crops that deters herbivory while the plant is living and leaches into the soil as the plant decomposes.”
(a) Why is the decomposition of plant litter important on farmlands? (2 points)
(b) Discuss how and why the use of Bt-positive crops influence future crop production on a farm? (2 points)
(c) How might the use of Bt-positive crops influence future crop production on a farm? (2 points)
(d) On average, one kilogram of potato contains 850 kilocalories. Suppose that growing a kilogram of nontransgenic potatoes on a conventional farm requires 1,100 kilocalories of fuel to plant the potatoes, 700 kilocalories of fuel to spray pesticides on the potatoes, and 200 kilocalories to harvest the potatoes. If a farmer switches to planting Bt-potatoes, then the energy investment in spraying pesticides is no longer needed. What is the difference in energy subsidies between non-transgenic and transgenic potatoes? (4 points)